Darth Vader will be on hand at the Consumer Electronics Show later this week to make a “most impressive announcement.” While my immediate thought was the Blu-Rays or Phantom Menace 3-D, the location – Panasonic’s booth – makes me think it could have something to do with this little tidbit.

Get started early on the EU when ‘Star Wars Galaxy with the Essential Guides’ will take over the Behind-The-Scenes Stage on Thursday at 1:30. CJ’s own Helen Keier will be making her first Celebration apperance along with fellow writers Jason Fry, Pablo Hidalgo, Dan Wallace, and Ryder Windham, plus artists Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas and Del Rey editor Erich Schoeneweiss. Could we get an announcement or two?

Remember the Kessel Run puzzle race at Celebration IV? Well, our own James and Dan are back with the Bounty Hunt – this time with three different challenges – one each Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Sign up your team by August 5 to guarantee a spot!

UPDATE: If you made your hotel reservations through 1800Hotels.com, double-check with your hotel! The company has filed for Chapter 11.

Want to take home a really permanent souvenir? Don’t forget your painkillers, because there’ll be live tattooing. If you’re not quite ready for that level of commitment, there’s a tattoo show Sunday morning or one-of-a-kind skateboard decks will be auctioned off for charity.

The first episode of Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible, which premieres Tuesday on the Science Channel, will take a look at lightsabers and a Stargateesque portal. Sure, the History Channel has been-there done-that, but the more the merrier. As for the ones in the pictures… I doubt those are actual plasma tubes, io9.